A Shadow in the Glass Episode VI: The Rising Dawn
by Esther Huffleclaw
Summary: As Lucia grows into her new role as Jedi Knight, and Hanna and Alaric try to figure out their relationship, the galaxy erupts into all-out war. Can Lucia save her mother? And can Hanna and Alaric learn to trust one another? A genderbent retelling of Star Wars.
1. Jabba's Palace

She couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't even breathe. She drifted in and out of consciousness, the line between the two blurring until it was all one. There was something she was supposed to be doing, somewhere she had to be, someone she needed to see… but it slipped away like water vapour in the winds of Tatooine. She drifted in a place where time had no meaning.

Ages passed.

A sudden chill rushed over her body as sensation violently returned. She choked on something wet and thick, and began to cough helplessly. Gentle hands lifted and held her as she convulsed, her lungs struggling to remember how to breathe. How long had it been since she had breathed air?

A mechanical voice spoke out of the darkness that still entombed her. "You're free of the carbonite, but you have hibernation sickness."

Carbonite? Was she in the hands of enemies then? Had she been taken for the bounty—or, one of the many bounties—on her head? She tried to keep her breathing steady, to hold back the panic that threatened to overwhelm her. "I can't see." Her voice was a dry croak, like she'd been wandering the Tatooine wilds without water for days.

"Your eyesight will return in time." There was no inflection in that voice, no emotion, no indication whether they were friend or foe.

She tried to swallow, her throat spasming and nearly sending her off into another fit of coughing. "Where am I?"

"Jabba's palace," the neutral voice replied.

Of course. She dug her fingers into her thighs, trying to stop their shaking. Jabba's bounty on her was probably the largest. "Who are you?" Her voice shook despite her best efforts not to show her fear.

A rustle of movement and of cloth against cloth sounded beside her, then her companion spoke again, but his voice was no longer mechanized—it was gentle and choked with tears. "Someone who loves you."

Her heart leapt, and she reached out blindly toward his voice. "Alaric!"

Warm fingers caught her questing hand. "I need to get you out of here." Alaric's hands slid down her arms to grip her elbows and help her to stand. She clung to him with trembling fingers, embarrassed at her weakness. Hibernation sickness was really terrible. Do not recommend.

As she swayed against Alaric, a cackle echoed all around them, sending a chill down her spine that banished the warmth from Alaric's touch. She forced herself to stand straight, a hand on his shoulder her only concession to her weakness. "I know that laugh."

The horribly familiar chortle was joined by many others, creating a cacophony of evil delight that bounced off the unseen walls and clawed at her nerves. Hanna gripped Alaric's shoulder tightly, wishing she hadn't gotten him mixed up in this. She stared at a random point in the blackness, trying to pretend she wasn't still completely blind. "Look, Jabba, I was just on my way to pay you back, but I got a little sidetracked."

"I can see that, Solo," Jabba replied in Huttese, his voice harsh. "I don't blame you, but it's too late now. You may have been a good smuggler, but now you're bantha fodder."

Rough hands grabbed her, tearing Alaric away. She struggled, stumbled, her reaching hands closing on empty air. Alaric! Panic tore at her raw nerves. "I'll pay you triple! You're throwing away a fortune here. Don't be a fool!"

Jabba's voice was cold. "Take her away."

No! _Alaric!_

* * *

Alaric raised his chin, glaring down his nose at the disgusting creature as Jabba's guards pushed him to stand before the giant Hutt. He refused to show fear. "We have powerful friends. You'll regret this."

Jabba laughed. "Pretty _and_ feisty. I can see why she likes you." His voice deepened to a growl and he ran his enormous slimy tongue over his lower lip, leaving a trail of saliva behind. "You're mine now, boy. Forget her."

Nausea roiled in Alaric's gut and he struggled against his captors, but the guards only laughed at him, their grip unyielding.

* * *

Hanna stumbled and tripped, barely keeping her feet as Jabba's guards dragged her roughly over uneven floors, turning corners without warning or any discernible pattern. When they stopped, their grip on her arms was the only thing that kept her from pitching forward to fall on her face. She heard the grating sound of a door opening, then they shoved her, and she fell into the dank and damp, her hands flung out before her, seeking something—anything—to catch herself. A wookiee yell of joy resounded off the walls as she hit something soft and furry and warm. "Chewie?" she gasped. "Is that you?" He roared a greeting, throwing his arms around her, lifting her off her feet and nearly squeezing the breath from her lungs. "Chewie!" She hugged him back. "I can't see, pal. What's going on?"

Chewie replied in a stream of excited Shyriiwook that she had trouble following, but she caught the name "Lucia," and something about a "Jedi Knight."

"Slow down, Chewie. Did you say Lucia's a _Jedi Knight?_ " Poor kid. That old fool Kenobi's delusions must have rubbed off her. "Well, never mind that now. We gotta get outta here. Any ideas?"

* * *

Lucia strode into Jabba's palace, head high, long dark robes swirling around her legs, the Force filling her with power and confidence. Two Gamorreans stepped out to block her way, and she stopped and raised her hand, silently telling them to forget they saw her. Confused, they returned to their posts, ignoring her as she passed. She hid a delighted grin in the shadows of her hood. She could do this.

A Twi'lek stepped out of the gloom, demanding to know her business. She didn't slow her confident stride, and he fell into step beside her. "I must speak with Jabba," she said without looking at the Twi'lek. He started to protest, but she cut him off. Turning her head just enough to meet his eyes, she put the Force behind her words. "You will take me to Jabba now."

He nodded. "I will take you to Jabba now," he replied in Huttese as he turned to lead the way.

She hid another grin. This was pretty wizard. She could get used to this.

* * *

Smoke lay in a thick cloud over many beings of various races who crowded around the dais where Jabba held court. Lucia followed the Twi'lek through the crowd toward where the obese Hutt reclined on a huge throne. A chain around Jabba's neck led to a collar fastened around Alaric's throat. The prince sat on the edge of the dais, staring into space, his shoulders slumped and hands lying slack in his lap. He was wearing loose, flowing, sheer gold pants over blood red shorts… and nothing else except the gold manacle around his neck.

As she neared the dais, Alaric raised his head and his eyes widened. He sat up and his shoulders straightened as he met her eyes, the blank look vanishing to be replaced with hope.

The Twi'lek leaned over and spoke to Jabba. "Master. Lucia Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Jabba sputtered. "I told you not to let her in."

Lucia turned away from Alaric, lifting her chin as she stared Jabba down. "I must speak to you, Jabba."

"She must speak to you, Jabba," the Twi'lek said.

Furious, the Hutt shoved him off the dais in a mess of flailing limbs and headtails. "You weak-minded fool!"

Drawing on the Force to imbue her voice with power, Lucia demanded, "You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookiee to me."

Jabba's eyes rolled back in his head, and he laughed, his whole body shaking. "Your mind powers will not work on _me_ , little girl."

She had not expected this, but she couldn't show that he had shaken her. She'd grown up on Tatooine. She could bluff her way through almost anything. She folded her hands into her sleeves and kept her gaze steady. "I'm taking Captain Solo and her friends, and I warn you: do not underestimate me."

Jabba laughed again, loud and cruel. He wasn't falling for it. Lucia would have to show him what else she could do. She reached out with the Force toward a nearby guard and snatched the pistol from his belt. As the Gamorrean yelped and grabbed for his weapon, Jabba stopped laughing, and the floor fell away beneath them.

Lucia had heard stories of Jabba's rancor pit, but she had never thought she would see it up close, especially not this close. She scrambled to her feet and turned around to see the beast rising up on its back legs, fanged maw gaping. She dove to one side and a huge clawed hand just missed grabbing her. As she rolled to her feet, the Gamorrean's shrieks ended in a choked gurgle, and then a wet crunching that reminded her of the ice cave on Hoth. A chill slid down her spine.

The rancor was eating the guard. No matter that he would have killed her if he'd had the chance, she felt a stab of pity—that was a horrific way to go.

Any minute now, the rancor would finish its meal and turn its attention back to her. Frantically, she searched for a way out, and spotted a heavy barred gate retracted into the ceiling between her and the beast, a row of large spikes along the bottom. A control panel halfway up the wall beside it also caught her eye. If she could just reach the controls...

The rancor swallowed the last of the hapless guard, and turned back toward Lucia. Reaching out blindly, she picked up a stone—no, a skull—from the ground beside her, and, suddenly, she knew what to do. She waited until the creature was beneath the gate, and flung the skull at the control panel. The gate fell, driving the spikes into the rancor's head. It spasmed, roared, and died. Nausea swirled in Lucia's gut, and she closed her eyes for a second. The rancor was just a dumb beast, and hadn't deserved any of this.

* * *

Hanna stumbled—again—in the grip of Jabba's guards as they propelled her along—again. Chewie grumbled beside her, promising all kinds of dire consequences that they mostly likely understood nothing of. The murmur of a crowd grew louder and the Hutt's deep laughter sounded ahead and growing nearer. The odour of many unwashed bodies assaulted Hanna's nose. But she could still see nothing. Yeah, this was damned inconvenient.

"Hanna!"

Another familiar voice. "Lucia?"

"Are you all right?" Yes, that was Lucia, her voice bright and hopeful, even now.

Hanna shook her head as the guards pulled her to a halt next to the stupid kid. "I'll live. Together again, eh?"

"Wouldn't miss it." Laughter bubbled up in Lucia's voice. Had she gotten even more ridiculously optimistic?

"How are we doing?" Hanna's voice was dry, betraying none of her own inner turmoil.

"Same as always."

Hanna snorted a laugh. "That bad, eh? Where's Alaric?"

"I'm here." His voice brought a smile to her lips, and she found that she wasn't all that afraid anymore. If this was the end, well, at least everyone she cared about was here.

Another familiar voice cut through the chatter. "Oh, dear. His High Exaltedness, the great Jabba the Hutt, has decreed that you are to be terminated immediately." Lucia's annoying protocol droid, Threepio.

Hanna smirked in his general direction. "Good," she said defiantly. "I hate long waits."

Threepio continued dolefully, "You will therefore be taken to the Dune Sea and cast into the pit of Carkoon, the nesting place of the all-powerful Sarlacc."

"Huh." Hanna shrugged as nonchalantly as she could with binders on her wrists. "Doesn't sound too bad."

Threepio's voice grew even more sorrowful. "In his belly, you will find a new definition of pain and suffering, as you are slowly digested over a thousand years."

"On second thought—" Hanna shuddered. "—let's pass on that."

Chewie grumbled an agreement, his shoulder bumping into hers.

"You should have bargained, Jabba," Lucia said, her voice clear and confident. "That's the last mistake you'll ever make."

The Hutt only laughed, but Hanna frowned. Did the kid really have something up her sleeve or was this simply a bluff? Their lives might depend on it, and there wasn't much Hanna could do to help, blind as she was.


	2. Dust

A hot dry wind buffeted Hanna about the face and ears, bringing tears to her blind eyes. She blinked furiously, twisting her hands in the binders, wishing she could rub her eyes. Was the blackness getting lighter? There seemed to be a halo of brownish gold fading in around the edges. "I think my sight is coming back." If she could just _see_ , could find Alaric...

Lucia's soft laugh sounded beside her. "There's nothing to see. I used to live here, you know."

Hanna snorted. Lucia's constant optimism got on her nerves a bit. The kid might really have a plan, but to do what? "You're gonna die here, you know. Convenient."

Lucia replied with quiet confidence, "Just stay close to Lando and Chewie. I've taken care of everything."

"Oh." Hanna shook her head, watching the faint light blur across her cloudy field of vision. Right. Stay close to Lando and Chewie… if she could _find_ them. She didn't even try to keep the sarcasm from her voice. "Well, then. Great!"

* * *

Wind blew through Alaric's hair and around his bare torso, the air so much hotter and drier than he was accustomed to. His heart clenched, remembering the trees he'd climbed, the lakes he'd swum in as a child on Alderaan. He would never see any of them again, never see Alderaan again. Gripping the railing before him, he blinked his eyes angrily. He had no time for tears. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Below where he stood on Jabba's lumbering barge, Hanna, Lucia, and Chewie braced themselves against the wind on a smaller skiff hovering over the edge of deep hole in the desert. Hanna's hair whipped around her face, her gaze still unseeing. Kriff, but Lucia's plan had better work! He couldn't lose Hanna like this.

Threepio stood next to the Hutt, translating for him. "Victims of the almighty sarlacc," the golden droid said into an amplifier, "His Excellency hopes that you will die honorably. But should any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will now listen to your pleas."

Hanna stepped forward, her glorious dark hair falling around her face and shoulders in a mess of tangles. Alaric's fingers tightened on the railing, his breath caught at the lift of her chin, the defiance in her stance. "Threepio, you tell that slimy piece of worm-ridden filth that he'll get no such pleasure from us."

Alaric couldn't help but grin. He stood straighter, his shoulders back and head high.

Lucia spoke up, her voice as calm and confident as she had been since she walked into the palace. "Jabba, this is your last chance. Let us go."

The crowd around Alaric exploded in laughter and his shoulders tightened again. Blast it—her plan better work!

Jabba leaned forward to speak into the voice amplifier. While Alaric didn't know the Huttese words, it was clearly an order. The guards on the skiff prodded Lucia's slim dark-clad figure onto a plank that came to an abrupt end above the sarlacc, pit in the sand. A ring of tentacles and teeth opened below her. She looked so small against the vast expanse of sand and a chill went down Alaric's spine. Then Lucia lifted her head, their eyes met, and he let out his breath, a quiet calm filling him.

Lucia walked forward without hesitation until her booted toes reached the end of the plank, then gave her audience a jaunty salute and jumped. A roar of approval rose from the barge. But she had jumped up, not down into the sarlacc, and then twisted in midair and caught the end of the plank with her fingertips. The plank bent low, then flung her back into the air. She somersaulted onto the skiff, coming down with her lightsaber alight in her hand. The guards scrambled to defend themselves against the surprise attack.

Alaric remembered to breathe again as Jabba roared orders in a fury behind him. Relief and elation rushed through him and he leaned forward, eager to join the fray. Hanna kicked a guard off the skiff into the sarlacc—either a lucky hit, or her sight was returning—and Chewie plowed bodily into several others. The chain around Alaric's neck jerked his head back, cutting into his throat as Jabba waved his arms around, yelling. Furious, Alaric spun around and grabbed the chain with both hands, flinging a loop of it over the Hutt's huge head. Leaning back, he threw his weight against it. Jabba's eyes bulged and a thick, wet, gurgling choking sounded from his enormous maw. Alaric gritted his teeth, pulling with all his strength, and the Hutt's slimy tongue slid between his scaly lips, fluttered, then stilled. Alaric felt the life leave the horrible creature, and he fell to his knees, panting in relief and disgust.

Reaching up, he clawed at the collar, frantic to get rid of it. Through the roaring in his ears, he could hear the battle raging all around him. Then Artoo appeared out of the chaos, weaving his way through the panicking crowd. The little droid cheeped at him, and blasted the chain, cutting it in two. Gasping, Alaric managed a "Thank you" and patted the droid's domed head. The collar was still a heavy weight on his throat, but he was free. "We gotta get out of here."

Standing up, he spotted Lucia at the railing, her blade a blur of light as she pushed through the crowd toward him. He ran to meet her, passing Threepio who swung around to follow.

"The gun!" Lucia cried, nodding toward the large barge gun. "Point it at the deck!"

He grabbed the gun mount, and wrestled it around, watching in amazement as she took out the last of the Gamorrean guards, her blade moving faster than his eyes could follow. The droids vanished over the side as he got the gun into position.

Lucia ran to his side. "Come on!" She grabbed one of the ropes hanging from the mast and threw her other arm around him, then kicked the trigger of the barge gun and swung out over the railing. Alaric reached up and grabbed the rope with his free hand as behind them the gun exploded into the deck, setting off a chain reaction of explosions through the barge, and destroying the whole thing.

They landed lightly on the deck of the skiff. Hanna leaned against the railing, watching Chewie pull Lando aboard. She met Alaric's eyes, then immediately looked away again. Joy that Hanna could see again warred with a sinking feeling in Alaric's gut.

"Let's go!" Lucia called, striding forward to the centre of the skiff. "Don't forget the droids."

* * *

Hanna squinted into the blowing sand, her arm cocked over her face to keep the worst of it out of her eyes and mouth. On her right, Chewie asked where they were. "I don't know," she shot back, not sure why she was angry. "All I can see is sand."

"That's all any of us can see,"Alaric said from her left, his arms wrapped around himself as if the hot wind chilled him. Lando had found a jacket somewhere for the prince to wear over the ridiculous sheer outfit Jabba had made him wear, and he huddled into it.

It was probably Lando's jacket, come to think of it. "I guess I'm getting better then," she said shortly, turning away. What the hell was wrong with her? He'd said he loved her—twice—and she hadn't said it back, wasn't sure she wanted to.

The familiar shape of the Falcon loomed out of the storm, and some of the tension drained away, her shoulders loosening. There was really nothing like coming back to her ship.

An X-wing lay at dock next to the Falcon. Lucia's ship. Hanna took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I've got to hand it to you, kid. You were pretty good out there."

Lucia's smile was bright. "I had a lot of help."

"Really. That carbon freeze was the closest thing to dead there is. Thank you." Hanna allowed her gratitude to show in her voice. Though, Lucia could probably _feel_ it with the Force or something.

Lucia nodded, a bit of colour flushing her cheeks. "Of course." She turned toward the X-wing. "I'll see you back at the fleet."

Aw, kriff. "Kid!" Lucia turned back at Hanna's call. "Why don't you leave that crate and come with us?"

Lucia shook her head, her gaze distant. "I have a promise I have to keep first."

Well, okay then. Hanna nodded and lifted a hand in a wave, then turned around and came face-to-face with Lando. Great. "Well," she said, her jaw suddenly tight. "I guess I owe you thanks too."

Lando grinned, his teeth very white against his dark skin and darker moustache. "Figured if I left you frozen like that your ghost would give me bad luck the rest of my life."

Alaric gave Lando a good-natured cuff to the back of the head. "He means, 'You're welcome'."

Lando laughed and turned around, bumping his shoulder into Alaric's. "Come on. Let's get off this miserable dust ball."

Hanna's jaw clenched, and she turned away toward her ship. Alaric and Lando were getting along _very_ well. And that was fine. Just _fine_.


	3. Night Must Fall

Yoda's hut on Dagobah was still as warm and welcoming as Lucia remembered, but the old Jedi master was not as spry as he had been. It had been nearly a year since she had seen him, and he had visibly aged.

"Hmm." The little Jedi tilted his head to one side and regarded her thoughtfully, and with a bit of humour. "That face you make. Look I so old to young eyes?"

"No," she said too quickly. "Of course not."

He chuckled, his ears curling with amusement. "I do. Yes, I do." He walked slowly across the room, leaning on his stick for support. "Sick I have become. Old and weak." He stopped before her and pointed a crooked finger at her. "When nine hundred years old you reach, look as good you will not."

She shook her head, unable to resist smiling. No, she would not.

Yoda's chuckle turned into a cough, and he hobbled to his bed. "Soon will I rest. Yes… forever sleep. Earned it I have."

"Master Yoda, no." Lucia leaned toward him, lifting a hand as if she could fight off the passage of time. "You can't die."

He shook his head, settling himself against his pillows. "Strong I am in the Force, but not that strong. Twilight is upon me, and soon night must fall. That is the way of things… the way of the Force."

"But I need your help," she protested. "I've come back to complete my training."

"No more training do you require." Yoda patted the blankets, arranging them over himself. "Already know that which you need."

She did? Since when? "Then I am a Jedi?"

He looked up and shook his head. "One thing remains: Vader. You must confront Vader. _Then_ a Jedi you will be."

Vader. Lucia turned away, her fingers digging into her knees as her throat tightened. Memories of Vader's voice, Vader's words, rang in her head. "Master Yoda… Vader said…" She swallowed hard, then looked him in the eye. "Is Darth Vader my mother?"

He sighed, closed his eyes, and burrowed deeper into the blankets. "Mmm… rest I need."

She came closer and knelt by the bed. He was clearly trying to avoid answering her. "Master, please. Tell me the truth."

Yoda opened his eyes and met her gaze, his eyes full of a deep sadness. "Told you, did she?"

So. It was true. Lucia bowed her head, her breath leaving her lungs in a sigh. "Yes." The word was barely audible.

He sighed deeply. "Unexpected this is… and unfortunate."

She looked up, frowning. "Unfortunate? That I know the truth?" She couldn't keep the hurt she felt at that from her voice.

"No." He studied her for a moment in silence, then, "Unfortunate that you faced her when incomplete was your training. Not ready for the burden were you."

Lucia looked away. That might be true, but it still wasn't fair. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly, but it did nothing to ease the tightness in her chest. Despite his words earlier, Yoda still saw her as an apprentice, as a child.

"Remember," Yoda said, his bright eyes focusing on her, seeing too much as always, "a Jedi's strength flows from the Force. But beware anger… fear… aggression. The dark side are they. Once you start down the dark path, forever will it dominate your destiny."

"There is no coming back, then?" If there was a way to save her mother…

But Yoda was shaking his head. "No. Do not underestimate the powers of the Emperor, or suffer your mother's fate, you will." He stopped, his little chest heaving with the effort of speaking. "When gone am I—" A cough shook his tiny body. "When gone am I, the last of the Jedi will you be. Pass on what you have learned…" He took a deep, rattling breath. "The Force runs strong in your family, Lucia. There is… another… Sky… walker."

A shudder ran through the tiny body, and his breath stuttered—then stopped. Lucia felt his spirit leave the flesh as his body vanished, leaving the blankets to droop empty toward the mattress. It was beautiful, yet heartbreaking. She reached out to touch the warm spot where he'd lain, tears streaming down her face.

* * *

Markus Jaydra strode through the hallways of the Rebel Frigate, his senses stretching out to seek the bright light that was Lucia Skywalker. He had seen her associates the smuggler and the prince of the dead planet, so she had to be here somewhere. What possible reason could she have to hide her Force presence here, in the midst of her allies?

Unless she wasn't here. But then, where in all the hells was she?

* * *

Night had fallen over Dagobah, leaving all in damp, foggy shadow. Lucia walked out to where her X-wing sat next to the swamp, her steps slow and unsure. What was she supposed to do now? Pass on what she had learned… to whom? She wasn't ready to be the teacher.

"Yoda will always be with you."

She turned toward Ben's voice. His ghostly form shimmered in the damp air, a gentle smile on his translucent face. Tears filled her eyes again. "Why didn't you tell me?" Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

His smile vanished, and he shook his head, his eyes sad. "I'm sorry, Lucia."

She took a step toward him, her voice rising. "You told me Vader murdered my mother!"

He sighed and sat down on a fallen log, his head bowed. "Your mother was seduced by the dark side, and she ceased to be Anneke Skywalker. Darth Vader—the name she took as a Sith lord—destroyed the good person she had been." He looked up, meeting her eyes. "I believed my friend to be lost to me forever, so what I told you was true… from a certain point of view."

She clenched her fists, her hands shaking, and turned away, shaking her head. "'A certain point of view'!"

"Lucia, many of the truths we cling to depend greatly upon our point of view." He paused for a moment, but she refused to look at him. "I don't blame you for being certainly wouldn't have been the first time I've been wrong. You see, what happened to your mother was my fault."

The anger slipped from Lucia's grasp, and she slowly turned around. Ben's eyes were pools of grief. Through the Force, she caught a glimpse of the agony he lived with, and sympathy rushed in to fill her heart, chasing the last of the anger away. She slowly sank down to sit on a rock facing him, clasping her hands tightly on her knees.

"I was such a fool." He shook his head. "If I had only listened to my master—and to the Force—sooner, I could have prevented so much pain." He closed his eyes, his hands clenching and unclenching in his lap. "The Force is very strong with your mother, it always has been, and she has always felt everything very strongly. The Jedi teach—taught—that 'there is no emotion; there is peace,' but she was never able to achieve that peace. I never considered that perhaps it was her emotions that gave her strength." He opened his eyes, his gaze piercing. "The dark side is dangerous, Lucia, and seductive, but the Force is not something to fear, and it speaks to us through our feelings."

She leaned forward, hope rising like a sun within her. "There is still good in her."

Ben smiled, a brilliant smile full of pride in her. "Yes. Yes, there is. I thought that once you choose the dark, you can never turn back to the light, for that is what I was taught. But Anneke is still there, and I believe that love can bring her back."

She bit her lip, rocking back a bit on the rock. "I—Yoda said I must face her, and—he meant kill her. But I can't do it, Ben."

He nodded, his gaze troubled. "Yoda lived for a very long time, and learned much, but he was very set in his ways." His smile returned, like the sun after a sandstorm. "And you may not have to do this alone."

Her heart leapt. "Yoda said there was another Skywalker."

"Yes." His eyes shone. "Your twin brother."

How could she not know she had a _brother?_ A _twin?_ Should she sense him in the Force?

"To protect you from the Emperor, I hid you when you were born. The Emperor would love nothing more than to get his hands on Anneke Skywalker's children. I took you to Tatooine to live with your aunt and uncle. And your brother—"

And, suddenly, she knew. "Alaric! Alaric's my brother." He was like a light hidden behind a screen. Obviously, he'd been shielded on purpose. Because, of course, the Emperor could use the Force as well.

He nodded. "Your insight serves you well, but bury those feelings. They do you credit, but could betray him to the Emperor." He leaned forward again. "You are not so reckless as you were—as your mother was. You are strong and patient, and you have given me a new hope for the future."


	4. Fly Casual

Hanna glared at the holographic image in the centre of the crowded war room. Another Death Star? Didn't the Imperials _ever_ try anything _new?_

Lando appeared next to her and Chewie, his usual flamboyant clothing replaced with a brand new Alliance uniform. He looked good.

She raised an eyebrow at her old friend. "Well, look at you. A general, eh?"

Lando grinned, white teeth flashing behind his moustache. "Someone must have told them about my maneuver at Taanab."

She raised both hands palms out toward him. "Don't look at me. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were lookin' for somebody to _lead_ this crazy attack."

Lando leaned toward her, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "I'm surprised they didn't ask you to do it."

Laughing, she pushed him back with a hand on his shoulder. "Who says they didn't? But _I'm_ not crazy."

Alaric arrived, nodding at Lando and taking his place next to Hanna while Mon Mothma stood to speak. Hanna couldn't concentrate on the briefing; her eyes kept flickering toward Alaric's profile where he stood beside her. Damn it! She knew better than to let her emotions get tangled up in a pretty face. Lando was reminder enough of that.

The Mon Calamari admiral was speaking now—she couldn't recall his name. "General Calrissian has volunteered to lead the fighter attack."

Hanna turned toward Lando, impressed despite herself. "Good luck," she said. "You're gonna need it." She had gone over the plan before; it was nearly a suicide mission, flying into the superstructure of the half-completed battlestation to knock out the main reactor. Once the shield was down, of course.

General Madine was speaking now. "We have stolen a small Imperial shuttle. Disguised as a cargo ship, and using a secret Imperial code, a strike team will land on the moon and deactivate the shield generator."

Hanna nodded. Yep. And that was the other suicide mission.

"I wonder who they found to pull that off," Alaric murmured beside her.

She grinned, but kept her eyes on Madine, who turned to her. "General Solo, is your strike team assembled?"

"My team's ready." She resisted looking at Alaric, though she could feel his eyes on her, knew he was surprised, maybe impressed. Good. He would see that she could be just as foolishly heroic as Lucia could. "I don't have a command crew for the shuttle." Chewie immediately raised a hand, and she smiled. "It's gonna be rough, pal."

He waved off her concerns with a furry hand and a disgusted comment about how she could possibly have thought he would let her do this without him.

Smiling, she nodded. "That's one."

"Count me in," Alaric said.

Before she could respond, another voice rang out from the back of the room: "I'm with you too!"

The crowd parted with a murmur to reveal Lucia, a new confidence in her step as she walked toward them.

Alaric watched Lucia approach. There was something different in her gaze as she met his eyes. "What is it?" he murmured in her ear as he hugged her.

She pulled back and studied him, then smiled. "Ask me again sometime."

Lucia was right—there was no time right now for conversations, and it felt like what she had on her mind was something big. Alaric nodded and squeezed her hand. "I will."

* * *

"I want you to take her. I mean it." Hanna clapped a hand on Lando's shoulder, trying to ignore the twinge of fear that told her not to do this. "You'll need all the help you can get, and she's the fastest ship in the fleet."

Lando nodded. "I know what she means to you. I'll take good care of her. She won't get a scratch."

Hanna grinned and shoved the side of his head. "Right. I got your promise now. Not a scratch."

He shook his head, laughing. "I'll treat her like a lover."

She snorted and stepped back, pushing him away. "Get out of here."

He laughed, then said quietly, "Good luck."

"Yeah." She nodded. "You too." Quickly turning away, she strode up the ramp into the Imperial shuttle. She refused to look back.

* * *

Markus watched Solo and Skywalker board the stolen Imperial Shuttle from where he was pretending to work on a ship that wasn't being used in the attack. He should've volunteered for the mission too. But, by the time he'd realized Skywalker was back, Solo'd had a full crew complement. He would just have to look for another opportunity—if they survived today.

* * *

Hanna's fingers tightened on the unfamiliar controls of the Imperial shuttle as the Super Star Destroyer filled the viewscreen, obscuring the view of the half-built Death Star. Smaller ships and a few regular Star Destroyers made their way in and around the construction.

An incoming transmission crackled over the comm: "Please identify yourselves."

Flicking the mic on, Hanna leaned forward. "Shuttle Tydirium requesting deactivation of the deflector shield."

"Shuttle Tydirium, transmit the clearance code for shield passage."

"Transmission commencing." Hanna turned the mic off and pressed the button to send the codes.

"Now we find out if that code is worth the price we paid," Alaric said, an undercurrent of tension in his voice.

"It'll work." Hanna tapped her fingers nervously on the edge of the control panel. "It has to work."

Lucia leaned forward to stare at the huge ship looming over them. "Vader's on that ship."

Hanna closed her hand into a fist to stop her nervous tapping. "Don't get jittery, kid. There are a lot of command ships. Keep your distance though, Chewie, but don't look like you're trying to keep your distance."

Giving her an unimpressed look, Chewie asked her how the hell he was supposed to manage _that_.

"I don't know!" She ran both hands back through her thick hair. "Fly casual?"

"I'm endangering the mission." Lucia's voice was somber. "I shouldn't have come."

"Come on, kid." Hanna turned around to meet Lucia's gaze, trying not to roll her eyes. "Really? How?"

Lucia let out a breath and closed her eyes. "Vader will know I'm here."

Hanna rolled her eyes. More Force mumbo jumbo. Great.

* * *

Lucia breathed slowly, trying to make herself smaller and quieter. Maybe Vader wouldn't notice her. Maybe Vader wasn't looking for her. Maybe Jawas could fly.

The shuttle's comm unit crackled to life. "Shuttle Tydirium, deactivation of the shield will commence immediately. Follow your present course."

Twin sighs of relief from Hanna and Alaric, but Lucia couldn't allow herself to relax. Not yet. She imagined pulling the Force around herself like a cloak, hiding herself within it. She had no idea if it would work, or if it was even possible, but she had to try something. If Vader knew she was here, all was lost.

"I told you it would work. No problem." Hanna grinned over her shoulder, but there was an edge to her smile that belied the confident words.

Despite their fears, landing went smoothly, and they were soon making their way through a thick forest on foot. Chewie took the lead, while Lucia brought up the rear. As he reached the crest of a hill, Chewie dropped to the ground, lifting a hand to signal the others for caution. Alaric and Hanna immediately dropped as well, crawling up next to the wookie. Lucia's hand dropped to the lightsaber at her belt as she followed.

Below them, a small valley lay quiet beneath the heavy overhanging branches. Two Imperial scout troopers stood near a pair of speeder bikes, conversing quietly.

"Shall we try to go around?" Alaric murmured.

Hanna pursed her lips thoughtfully. "Chewie and I can take care of this."

"Quietly?" Lucia asked. "There might be more of them out there."

Hanna's teeth flashed in a grin. "Hey… it's me."

Before anyone could respond to that, Hanna was sliding back down the rise with Chewie right behind her. Alaric shook his head and followed more slowly.

As Hanna crept up behind the scouts, Lucia chewed on her lip. She had a bad feeling about this. Then Hanna's foot slipped, crunching onto a twig, and the scouts whirled around. One yelled to other, "Go for help!" and Hanna jumped him while the other ran for his speeder.

Chewie lifted his bowcaster almost lazily and shot the speeder bike out of the air just as it rose from the ground, sending bike and scout into a tree. Hanna pummeled the other scout with her fists, keeping him on the defensive with a wild and fast flurry of punches.

"Good job," Lucia muttered under her breath. "Just great." One of these days, Hanna's bravado was going to get them all killed.

Alaric caught Lucia's arm and pointed into the trees to the left. "Over there! Two more of them!" He dropped her arm and ran towards the speeder abandoned by the trooper Hanna had attacked.

"Wait!" Lucia chased after him, and leapt onto the speeder just as Alaric threw it into the air. She wrapped her arms around his chest and ducked against his shoulder as branches whipped by her face. "Jam their commlink," she shouted against the wind, pointing at the switch on the controls before them.

Alaric flipped the switch and leaned forward, every muscle tense as he tried to coax more speed out of the bike.

Behind them, Hanna shouted something, but it was lost to the wind.


	5. Fire and Flame

Alaric knew this was foolish. He'd known it before he got on the speeder, before Lucia had chased after him. But he couldn't let the trooper get away, couldn't let him sound the alarm. Now, he could only focus on steering the bike and avoiding crashing into the trees.

Lucia was a reassuring warmth against his back, as she reached out with one hand to activate the speeder bike's weapons. Unfortunately, Alaric was unable to keep the bike steady while veering around trees and rocks, and her shots hit only vegetation. "Move closer!" she shouted in his ear.

Drawing a deep breath and holding it for a few seconds before he released it, Alaric accelerated to an even more suicidal speed. One of the scouts glanced over his shoulder and lost control for a second, scraping against a tree. As he fought to steady his bike, he slowed enough that Alaric came up beside him. Lucia immediately leapt from one bike to the other, nearly making Alaric's heart stop at her recklessness and sending the trooper off the speeder in an ungainly tumble to smash into another tree.

Lucia grabbed the bike's controls just in time to keep it steady, and flashed a grin at Alaric before accelerating into pursuit once again. Shaking his head, he followed. Sure, she'd grown up racing a speeder all over Tatooine chasing womprats, but there were no trees there. This forest was the thickest even Alaric had seen, and he'd been to Naboo.

A blast of energy flashed past Alaric's ear and he glanced over his shoulder to see two more scout troopers swinging into pursuit behind them. Fragging great. Could this mess get any worse?

"I'll take these two!" Lucia shouted, hitting her brakes to drop back behind them.

An almost immediate explosion behind him sent Alaric's heart swooping in fear, but then he realized he could still sense Lucia and her steady determination behind him, and he leaned forward, focusing on the trooper before him. Lucia was quite capable of taking care of herself and the other trooper behind him.

A thought occurred to him, and without time to consider its merits, Alaric threw the bike into a steep climb, rising above the trees, then he dove at the trooper, who had slowed in confusion when Alaric had disappeared from behind him. A shot hit the trooper's bike, slowing it even more as he fought it back under control, and Alaric came up alongside just as the trooper pulled a hand blaster. Alaric grabbed it, and wild shots hit both bikes, sending them spinning out of control in opposite directions. Flinging himself from the seat, Alaric dove and rolled into the bushes, covering his face with his arms to shield it from the branches. When he finally came to a painful stop, he lifted his head just in time to see the trooper hit a tree. The bike exploded in a gout of flame and Alaric grinned despite his scrapes and bruises. Another one down.

* * *

Lucia threw her weight to the side, ramming her bike into the scout's bike. He responded by throwing his weight back against her, tangling the workings of their bikes together. A sense of danger brought her eyes up in time to see a large tree directly in front of them. Barey in time, Lucia leapt free, rolling into the underbrush below.

As she came to her feet, the scout trooper was turning back toward her, somehow having untangled the bikes. As he reached for his weapons, Lucia snatched her lightsaber from her belt, bringing it up and activating the blade just in time to block the blasts. She could feel the Force guiding her as the trooper bore down on her, and she stood her ground as he raced toward her, intent on ramming her if he couldn't shoot her.

At the last second, she stepped smoothly to the side and swept the glowing blade of her saber through the workings of the bike, sending it spinning into yet another tree in a blaze of fire and flame. Satisfaction mixed with regret swirled through her. No matter how necessary, so much death saddened her.

* * *

Hanna paced from one side of the small clearing to the other then back again. The rebels under her command tried to pretend they weren't watching her, but she didn't care what they thought. If something had happened to Alaric and Lucia, she was going to hunt down every last Imperial and kill them with her bare hands.

As she began her eleventh crossing of the clearing, Artoo's head spun toward the trees and he beeped urgently. "Oh!" Threepio exclaimed. "General Solo, someone's coming!"

Swinging around, Hanna pulled her blaster and aimed it at the trees. "Someone" could be a whole squad of Imperials. Beside her, the other rebels copied her. The trees parted and Lucia stepped out, looked around at all the blasters pointed at her, then trudged over to a rock and sat down as everyone quickly holstered their weapons.

"Where's Alaric?" Hanna was relieved to see Lucia, but fear for Alaric held her insides in a vise. If that stupid prince got himself killed, she was going to kick his ass.

"What?" Lucia raised her head and looked around the clearing. "He didn't come back yet?"

"I thought he was with you." Hanna bit out the words, trying to keep her anger in check. She knew this wasn't Lucia's fault, but she couldn't help it.

Lucia pushed herself to her feet, her expression clouding with worry. "We got separated." She visibly pushed her exhaustion away, squaring her shoulders. "We better go look for him."

Hanna sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly, nodding. She turned to the other rebels. "Take the squad ahead. We'll meet at the shield generator at 0300."

* * *

Alaric pushed himself up to sit against the nearest tree trunk, let his head fall back against the rough bark, and closed his eyes. The sense of someone approaching came to him, and he froze. But there was little feeling of danger, so he slowly opened his eyes. A short, fuzzy creature stopped in its tracks as Alaric's eyes opened. A relatively large spear swung up to point at his face, and it jabbered something in a language Alaric had never heard.

Slowly raising his hands, Alaric showed the little creature—or person, since it was clearly intelligent enough to speak—his open palms. "It's okay. I'm a friend." It—or he—growled at Alaric, waving his spear in a threatening manner. "I promise I don't want to hurt you." Moving slowly so his actions wouldn't appear aggressive, Alaric pulled a ration bar from his pocket, unwrapped it, and offered it. "Want something to eat?"

A little nose sniffed curiously, then the furry little person hopped into Alaric's lap, grabbed the food with both hands, and stuffed it into a tiny mouth. Alaric smiled. Then, he froze. His new friend dropped the ration bar and grabbed his spear as a scout trooper stepped out of the foliage in front of them.

"Freeze!" the trooper ordered, bringing his pistol up to aim at Alaric's head.

The little person said something that didn't sound polite at all, and smacked the trooper in the knee with his spear. Seeming shocked that something so small could be so brave, the trooper stared at him. Taking advantage of the trooper's distraction, Alaric drew his blaster and shot him in the head.

Alaric's new little friend jumped back as the scout trooper fell, then poked him with his spear. When the trooper didn't move, he looked up at Alaric and nodded sharply, saying something that sounded impressed and approving. Then he grabbed Alaric's arm and tugged firmly, leading him away. With a mental shrug, Alaric allowed himself to be led.

* * *

Darth Vader stood on the bridge of the command ship, staring into space. She imagined she could see to the surface of the moon below where her children were. She knew what the Emperor expected of her now, that she would go down and face one or both, and find a way to convince them to switch allegiance. Or kill them. But the Emperor was not here.

The crew around her were quiet, not only out of fear of her, but because none of them yet knew the rebels had penetrated the shield and landed on Endor. She was determined to keep it that way.

She had known of the twins' presence the moment the shuttle Tydirium had approached, but had said nothing, had done nothing. Now, though, was the time to act. Any moment now, a scout would get a message through, and the might of the Empire would descend on the moon to find and destroy the rebels. She had to stop them.

She turned and left the bridge. Her shuttle awaited.


	6. Soft Darkness

Hanna's heart dropped when Lucia picked up Alaric's discarded helmet. No. He had to be okay. He had to be.

Threepio said mournfully, "I'm afraid that Artoo's sensors can find no trace of Prince Alaric."

Lucia turned around and tossed the helmet to Hanna. "He's alive. I can feel it."

"Right." Hanna fumbled and barely caught the helmet, the edge of sarcasm in her voice tempered by fear. "With the 'Force'."

A small smile curved Lucia's lips. "Yes. With the Force."

Hanna rolled her eyes and turned away, hugging Alaric's helmet to her chest. Despite herself, she was somewhat reassured by Lucia's steadfast belief.

Chewie lifted his head and sniffed the air. He growled something about 'this way', and took off into the forest.

"Chewie, what?" With an exasperated sigh, Hanna chased after him, the helmet gripped tightly in one hand. She wasn't about to lose Chewie too.

"Hanna!" Lucia called, and Hanna lifted her free hand in acknowledgement, but didn't slow down. The kid could follow along if she wanted to.

Chewie burst out of the trees into another clearing and stopped so suddenly Hanna nearly ran right into him. "What the frack, Chewie?" she burst out, and was immediately sorry. None of this was his fault.

Stepping to one side, Chewie pointed at a sharpened stake jammed into the ground, a small dead animal skewered on it. Yuck. And, quite clearly, a trap.

Fearless as always, Chewie reached out to poke it. Behind Hanna, Lucia shouted, "No! Chewie, wait!" But it was too late. The forest somersaulted sickeningly around them as they were snatched off their feet and thrown together. When the twisting, jolting movement slowed, they found themselves in a large net suspended from a tree. Yep. A trap.

"Nice work, Chewie." Hanna shoved his furry arm out of her face. " _Just_ great."

Much subdued, he muttered an apology, but she turned away as best she could, not wanting to hear it. This _was_ his fault.

"Hey, let's just figure out a way to get out of this thing," Lucia put in from behind Chewie. "Hanna, can you reach my lightsaber?"

"Yeah, sure." Hanna sighed and reached around Chewie to fumble blindly for the saber while the trees around them slowly spiraled past, around and around.

"Artoo!" Threepio squeaked beneath, "I'm not sure that's a very good idea!"

Hanna looked down just in time to see Artoo using his laser cutter to slice through the net, and then her stomach dropped as the bottom fell out beneath them. A rush of air and screaming, and they hit the ground. Hard.

"Aw, frack it." Hanna pressed her hand to her forehead with a groan as she sat up. "Wha—" She broke off as she pulled her hand away from her face. They were surrounded by tiny furry two-legged creatures that looked for all the world like children's toys, but with wicked-looking spears. She reached for her blaster pistol, but Lucia's hand fell on her arm.

"Hanna, don't. It'll be all right."

Hanna looked into Lucia's eyes, and saw only confidence and peace. Nodding slowly, she lifted her hands and let the living toys take her weapon.

* * *

Drums beating outside the hut caught Alaric's attention and he ducked outside to see what was happening. He had managed to learn his little friend's name—Wicket—and the name of his people as a whole: Ewoks. Their language was very different from any he had learned before, so it was very slow going.

A crowd of Ewoks had gathered in the middle of the village, and they had captives. Alaric stopped in his tracks when he saw who they had tied up. Lucia and Hanna spotted him just as he saw them, and Hanna shouted, "Alaric!"

Alaric surged forward, but was stopped by a crowd of Ewoks bristling with spears. "Come on, guys. They're my friends."

The Ewoks responded with clearly negative grumblings, shaking their spears. Alaric gritted his teeth, watching through the spears, furiously helpless.

"Threepio," Lucia called, "tell them if they don't let us go, you'll be angry and use magic."

"What?" Threepio waved his hands about frantically from where he was seated on some kind of throne of branches. "I couldn't possibly—"

"Just tell them," Lucia said calmly yet firmly.

Alaric felt something like an electric charge in the air as Threepio spoke to the Ewoks in their language. It tingled in his teeth, as if he was on the edge of something, about to step off into the unknown.

One of the Ewoks yelled something challenging and shook his spear at Threepio. Clearly, Lucia was going to have to do whatever she had planned, as they weren't about to let them go otherwise. Even as the thought crossed Alaric's mind, the electricity in the air intensified, raising goosebumps all over his skin. And the throne with Threepio on it rose into the air.

"You see: they didn't believe—" Threepio cut himself off with a squeak. "Oh! What's happening? Oh dear!"

The Ewoks shrank back as the Threepio began to revolve slowly over their heads, his panicked cries becoming more and more shrill. Then, one that seemed to be a leader yelled at the other Ewoks, and they ran forward and cut the ropes that bound Lucia, Hanna, and Chewie. The spears that held him back gone, Alaric shoved his way through the crowd of Ewoks to where Hanna, Lucia, and Chewie were getting to their feet.

"Alaric!" Lucia threw her arms around him, hugging as if she never wanted to let him go. Hanna's longer arms wrapped around him from the other side, and he could _feel_ their relief. Being back with the two of them felt so… right.

"Lucia said you were alive," Hanna said against his ear. She didn't say she had worried, but the tight clasp of her arms said everything.

* * *

Nightbirds and insects sang in the soft darkness around the Ewok village as Lucia stepped away from the celebration. The tribe had ceremonially sworn them in as members, then thrown a party for them. But Lucia could feel Vader's presence near, on this moon, searching for her. She wrapped her fingers around the rough wood railing that marked the edge of the village and stared at her hands. She would soon have to face her mother again, whether or not she was ready.

"Lucia?"

She looked over her shoulder to find Alaric. The soft robe the Ewoks had given him to wear soughed around his legs as he came to stand beside Lucia.

"What's wrong?" Alaric's voice was soft, seeming part of the night sounds.

Lucia studied his face for a moment. She could see herself in the angle of his jaw, the sweep of his brows. While a part of her resented all the years they'd lost, she was mostly just glad they had found each other. "Alaric… do you remember your parents? Your biological parents?"

A shadow crossed his face, and Alaric turned to lean on the fence beside Lucia. "Not really. Just… images. Feelings."

Turning her gaze back to the stars, Lucia nodded. Her eyes prickled.

Alaric put his hand on Lucia's arm, and she could feel his concern through the Force. "Lucia, tell me. What's troubling you?"

Lucia closed her eyes and bowed her head, tightening her fingers on the rough wood. "Vader is here—now, on this moon."

A jolt of alarm from Alaric in the Force. "How do you know?"

"I feel her presence. She's come for me." Lucia turned to meet Alaric's eyes. "That's why I have to go."

"But—?" Alaric shook his head in confusion. "Why would Vader come for you?"

Lucia looked down at her hands, white-knuckled on the railing, and took a deep breath, letting it out in a rush. "She's my mother."

Stunned shock radiated through the Force from Alaric. "...what?" he said faintly.

Releasing the railing, Lucia turned and took Alaric's hands in hers. "I'm sorry, but there's more. And this isn't going to be easy for you to hear."

His hands tightened on hers and his shoulders drew back. He nodded, his eyes steady on her face.

Feeling Alaric's acceptance in the Force, Lucia held his gaze. "If I don't make it back, you're the only hope for the Alliance."

His eyes widened, and his hands tightened even more on hers. "But—" He shook his head. "You have power I don't understand. We need you."

Lucia smiled, tears threatening to spill. "You have that power too, Alaric. The Force is strong in my family. My mother has it, I have it… and my brother has it too."

"Your—?" Alaric stopped breathing, and his eyes searched Lucia's as if looking for answers.

"Yes." Lucia squeezed his hands nearly as tightly as he was squeezing hers. "It's you, Alaric."

Shock slowly faded into wonder, and Alaric lifted a hand to cup the side of her face. "I knew there was something… You feel like home."

Nodding, Lucia returned his smile while blinking away tears. "And now you know why I have to face her."

"No!" Alaric shook his head and his gaze turned fierce. "I just found you. I don't want to lose you. She'll kill you."

"No she won't." Lucia felt certainty and peace fill her as she said the words, knowing they were true. "There is good in her; I've felt it. I have to try to bring her back, to save her."

Tears filled Alaric's eyes and he nodded then pulled her close, hugging her tightly. "You will come back to me." There was certainty in his words and in the Force, and Lucia could not argue, though she was not certain of anything herself.

After a moment, she pulled back, leaned forward to kiss his cheek, then turned to go. It was time to meet her destiny.

* * *

Markus Jaydra watched the Imperial shuttle set down quietly among the trees. Darth Vader's Force signature flickered wildly to his senses, from brilliant light to deepest dark. His Master had not overestimated her weakening. If they were to apprehend Lucia Skywalker, he must reach her before Vader did. He turned away from Vader's wavering in the Force and toward the strong bright light he had followed to this moon.


	7. Deep Shadows

Night had fallen over Endor's moon, and there was a chill in the air despite the humid heat of the previous day. The party was winding down and Hanna looked around, realizing that she hadn't seen Lucia or Alaric for quite a while. Stepping away from the bonfire, she saw two human size figures standing very close together, talking quietly. Then, they embraced.

Flustered, she stopped, not wanting to listen in on what was clearly a very private conversation. But then, Alaric's voice carried clearly on the night air, fierce and passionate: "You will come back to me."

The shadows didn't allow Hanna to see who it was who leaned in, but her heart dropped when they kissed. She closed her eyes for a few seconds to breathe and, when she opened them again, one of the two figures had gone, melted into the darkened forest.

Squaring her shoulders, Hanna told herself it was fine. Alaric had made his choice, and she had to respect it. She wouldn't let anyone see even if it did bother her. Which it didn't. Sure, he'd said he loved Hanna, but they hadn't made any promises to each other, and she hadn't given him much encouragement that she returned his feelings. She didn't. She wouldn't.

About to return to the fire and find Chewie, Hanna stopped in mid-turn at the sound of a muffled sob. Ah, hell. Alaric and Lucia were her friends, and she couldn't leave one of them _crying_ alone out here. She took a few steps closer. "Hey, what going on?"

Alaric looked up at her, startled, then quickly turned away to hide his tears. "Nothing," he said in an obvious lie.

Hanna rolled her eyes. "Nothing. Right. Sure looks like it. Come on, tell me what's wrong."

Alaric shook his head. "I–I can't. I'm sorry."

"But you could tell Lucia?" Hanna let out an explosive sigh and closed her eyes. That was not at all fair. "I'm sorry." She turned to go.

"Wait." Alaric put a hand on her shoulder, and turned her back toward him, letting her see the tears in his eyes. "Please don't go?"

She was sure she would regret it, but she couldn't deny him. They fell together, arms tight around one another, and she never wanted to let go. But she was going to have to. Frack it all anyway.

* * *

Anneke stepped out of her shuttle into the soft darkness of night beneath thick trees. She stood for a moment listening to the Force in the life all around her. It had been so long since Vader had simply listened with no intent but to let the Force guide her. It was like wrapping a familiar blanket around her psyche.

Lucia's bright essence called to her and Vader opened her eyes in surprise. Her daughter was coming to her. Lucia's Force presence reached out to Anneke and something bloomed in her chest, expanding to fill her entire being until it felt like it might tear right through her skin. It was so intense as to be painful, rising up out of a part of her she had long buried. She hadn't felt like this since before she'd lost Padraig. Tears filled her eyes and spilled over to stream down her face. Resisting the impulse to wipe them away—there was no one here to see Vader cry—she held her head high as she went out to meet her daughter.

* * *

Lucia stepped out of the trees into a clearing just as Vader stepped out of the trees opposite. Unsurprised as she had felt her approach, Lucia continued without slowing until she stood before Vader, gazing into her mother's depthless blue eyes. Soft chirps and growls of the nighttime forest creatures of Endor filtered through the trees around them.

"The Emperor is looking for you." Vader's voice was tight, but her Force presence was brighter than Lucia had ever seen it. All the way here, Lucia had felt Vader's Force signature flickering in and out of light and dark, but the light was growing stronger.

Lucia smiled. "I know. But I am looking for you." She filled the new delicate Force link between them with as much love and belief as she could. "I am here for my mother, Anneke Skywalker."

Clear blue eyes widened. "That name has not meant anything to me in a very long time."

"It is the name of your true self." Lucia's smile widened as the light in the Force grew even brighter. "There is good in you. The Emperor hasn't driven it from you fully. That is why you couldn't destroy me. That's why you won't bring me to your Emperor now."

Anneke inclined her head, sadness filling her eyes. "You must leave, my daughter. Take your brother and go somewhere far away where the Emperor can never find you."

Lucia shook her head. "Not without you."

"It is too late for me. But I cannot see you lost as I am. The Emperor will turn or kill you. Please, you must go." Light and dark swirled together in the Force around Anneke.

Focused on her mother as she was, Lucia had only a split second of warning from the Force before a man clothed all in black stepped out of the trees beside them, activating a red lightsaber that lit the night with a grisly glow. "Stand down, traitor," he spat at Anneke, then turning toward Lucia: "Lucia Skywalker, you will come with me. The Emperor is eager to meet you." He lifted a hand and dark tendrils of Force energy wrapped around Lucia, tightening until she couldn't move, could hardly breathe.

"No!" Anneke's red blade burst forth, and she took a step toward him, anger and fear radiating from her.

"Ah ah." He tightened his free hand into a fist, cutting off Lucia's air completely while warding off Anneke with the saber in his other hand. Darkness danced around him, deep shadows that he wrapped around himself like a cloak. "The Emperor would prefer to take her alive, but if you don't cooperate…"

Anger and fear, then despair filled Vader's Force presence. Lucia struggled to resist her own fear as dark spots began to dance before her eyes. Bowing her head in defeat, Vader deactivated her saber, and the stricture about Lucia's throat loosened, allowing sweet oxygen back into her lungs with a gasp of relief.

Hatred glittered in Vader's yellow eyes as she raised her head to stare at him. "If you hurt her, Jaydra, even the Emperor won't be able to save you."

A mocking smile lit by the red light of their sabers twisted his lips. "You are in no position to be making threats, my dear Vader." He jerked his head toward them, and several troopers emerged from the trees, taking their weapons and locking their wrists in binders. "Come now. Our Master awaits."

Lucia raised her head and met Jaydra's eyes without fear. "I will not turn."

He laughed. "You do not know the power of the dark side. You will turn… or you will die."

* * *

The massive concrete and steel structure reared out of the surrounding vegetation, as out of place as a Hutt on Naboo. Alaric studied the installation, noting the guards that watched every approach. He pushed away his fear—for them, for Lucia. "The main entrance to the control bunker's on the far side of that landing platform. This isn't going to be easy."

"Don't worry." Hanna tossed him a careless grin that equally annoyed and took his breath away. "Chewie and me have gotten into a lot of places more heavily guarded than this."

The Ewoks Wicket and Paploo chattered excitedly, waving at a nearby ridge. Alaric caught something about "secret" but the rest of their words were lost to him. "Threepio?" he asked. "What are they saying?"

"Paploo says there's a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge," Threepio replied.

Hanna's grin brightened. "Back door, huh? Good idea."

They made their way through the underbrush to find a squat bunker leading into the other side of the ridge. Four scout troopers lounged near the entrance, their speeder bikes parked nearby. Alaric chewed on the inside of his cheek and half listened to Wicket and Paploo discussing something with Threepio. They were talking much too fast for Alaric to catch anything they said this time.

Then, Paploo nodded sharply and ran off into the trees. Threepio managed to look distressed as only he could without facial expressions. "Oh! Oh, prince Alaric."

"Shh." Hanna hissed, glaring at the golden droid.

Sighing, Alaric made his way as quickly as he could to Threepio's side. "Quietly. What happened?"

"I'm afraid our furry companion has gone and done something rather rash." Threepio turned toward the bunker entrance as Paploo emerged from the undergrowth behind the troopers.

"Oh no." Alaric leaned forward, holding his breath as Paploo silently swung onto one of the speeder bikes and began pushing buttons and flipping switches. The engine kicked in with a roar, and the troopers leapt to their feet, spinning toward him. Tossing them a jaunty wave, Paploo managed to throw the bike into gear and took off into the trees.

Hanna groaned. "There goes our surprise attack."

"Stop him!" one of the troopers shouted, racing for the bikes. Two of the others followed him, mounting their bikes to chase after the Ewok, leaving only one behind to guard the bunker. It seemed that Paploo had known what he was doing after all.

"Huh." Hanna shook her head in impressed surprise. "Not bad for a little furball. C'mon, Chewie. You stay here, Your Highness. We'll take care of this."


	8. Beneath the Darkness

_A/N: Only one more chapter after this! I can hardly believe this saga is nearly finished._

 _I'd like to wish a merry Christmas, happy New Year, happy Hannukah, and a happy whatever to everyone who is still reading this. I appreciate every one of you._

* * *

Calm had returned to Lucia by the time they exited the shuttle on the Death Star. She was a prisoner, on her way to face the Emperor on the battlestation her friends were trying to destroy, but the Force wrapped around her and she had no fear. Beside her, Vader's presence in the Force seethed with anger and fear, but the light persisted beneath the darkness, stubbornly refusing to die.

Jaydra led them across the large shadowed space to a throne on which was seated a dark figure from which the all the darkness in the room seemed to emanate. On either side, red-cloaked guards stood watch. The black-robed figure—the Emperoro—shifted, deep hood lifting just enough to reveal a ravaged visage. Sickly yellow eyes turned toward Lucia, and she felt her skin crawl. "Welcome, young Skywalker," he said in a voice that creaked and broke. "I have been expecting you." Dread rose in waves from Vader and the Emperor turned that bilious gaze on her. "And you, my apprentice. I am very disappointed in you."

Vader shrank away, but Lucia raised her chin and squared her shoulders, meeting the Emperor's gaze without flinching and she felt Vader draw strength from her defiance, straightening to stand firm beside Lucia.

Slowly, as if his joints creaked as did his voice, the Emperor rose and walked down the stairs to stand before Lucia. Without looking at Vader, he said dismissively, "I will deal with you later, Darth Vader." Lifting one finger, he manipulated a tendril of Force energy and Lucia's cuffs fell away to clatter on the floor, leaving her unbound. "You will no longer need those."

Keeping her hands crossed before her, Lucia held his gaze, unmoving, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a response.

Thin lips flickered into a parody of a smile. "Guards, leave us." Jaydra and the red-cloaked guards silently left the room. "I'm looking forward to completing your training. In time you will call me Master."

Lucia shook her head slightly, still holding his gaze. "You are mistaken. My Master is Obi Wan Kenobi."

Amusement flickered in the shadows of the Emperor's Force signature. "Oh no, my young Jedi. You will find that it is you who are mistaken… about a great many things." He hefted a lightsaber in one hand, Lucia's lightsaber. "A Jedi's weapon," he mused. "Much like your mother's. By now you must know your mother can never be turned from the dark side. So will it be with you."

"You're wrong. About everything." Lucia smiled despite the roiling confusion she could yet sense in Vader. "Besides, soon we will all be dead."

A sharp cracked laugh escaped the Emperor's ruined form. "Do you refer to the imminent attack of your Rebel fleet? I assure you: we are quite safe from your friends here."

How did he know? A spark of fear washed through Lucia, and she let it fall away, released into the Force. It didn't matter. "Your overconfidence is your weakness."

"Your faith in your friends is yours," he rejoined. "Everything that has transpired has done so according to my design." His voice deepened, becoming stronger. "Your friends up there on the Sanctuary Moon are walking into a trap. It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. It is quite safe from your pitiful little band. An entire legion of my best troops awaits them."

Fear crawled down Lucia's spine, setting its claws into her soul. Her gaze darted to Vader, back to the Emperor, then to the saber hilt in his hand. Was there anything she could do?

The Emperor's smile widened, splitting his ghastly face. "I'm afraid the deflector shield will be quite operational when your friends arrive."

Anger rose up within her. He was so casually cruel, glorying in it.

* * *

Hanna burst through the door into the main control room, Alaric and Chewie right behind her with several other Rebels. "Move! Move!" she shouted as they took the Imperial personnel prisoner.

Alaric bent over a screen on one panel. "Hurry! The fleet will be here any moment!"

"Charges! Come on, come on!" Hanna and Chewie placed explosive charges as quickly as they safely could.

"Freeze, Rebel scum."

Hanna's head snapped up to see an Imperial commander stride into the room, followed by a crowd of disciplined troopers who quickly filled the room and disarmed the Rebels. Shit. Frack it all anyway. Hanna raised her hands, but watched for an opportunity. She wasn't about to give up that easily.

* * *

"Come, child." The Emperor stood by a floor-to-ceiling window in one wall and beckoned to her with a clawed hand. "See for yourself."

The fear and pain of those fighting and dying pulled Lucia to the window. Outside, the battle was chaos, the Millenium Falcon and hundreds of Rebel fighters fighting fiercely against thousands of TIE fighters around the giant Rebel cruisers. Weapons flashed silently against the blackness of space as both sides fought desperately for their lives. Lucia's fingers curled into her palms and she turned away, her gaze falling on her saber, still held loosely in the Emperor's gnarled grip.

He looked down and smiled. "You want this, don't you? I can feel your your hatred for me." He lifted the weapon, holding it out upon his open palm. "Take it. Use it. I am unarmed. Strike me down. Give in to your anger."

With a sharp shake of her head, Lucia turned away. "No!" Certainly he deserved such an end, but she couldn't give in to the darkness. She wouldn't.

"It is unavoidable." His voice curled around her, fingers of darkness reaching out to clutch at her soul. "You cannot resist. You are mine."

* * *

As the Imperials led Alaric, Hanna, and Chewie from the bunker, a horn sounded somewhere nearby among the trees. Before Hanna could do more than wonder at the sound, hundreds of Ewoks exploded from the undergrowth, swarming over the stormtroopers and their AT-ST walkers. In seconds, all was chaos as the Imperials desperately tried to fight back against the determined little fuzzballs.

In the confusion, Alaric dove for cover next to the bunker door. Hanna followed him, scrambling for the control panel for the door. "The code's changed," Alaric shouted over the commotion around them.

"Don't worry!" Hanna shouted back, putting more confidence into her voice than she felt. "I can hotwire this thing!"

"I'll cover you." Alaric spun and raised his blaster while Hanna worked furiously on the control panel.

A few seconds that felt like hours later, Hanna whooped, "I got it!" Sparks flew, and a blast door slid down with whoosh in front of the closed door, trapping them further. "Frack."

Behind her, Alaric let out a cry of pain, and Hanna spun to fall on her knees before him. Smoke curled gently from a burn mark on his shoulder and Hanna's heart fell into her stomach.

A voice behind Hanna, filtered through a stormtrooper helmet, demanded, "Freeze."

Ignoring the trooper, Hanna fumbled at Alaric's shoulder, her hands shaking. "Let me see."

"I'm all right." It was an obvious lie.

"Don't move," the stormtrooper demanded.

Alaric caught Hanna's eyes and hefted his blaster, hidden by Hanna's body. He smiled.

Hanna's heart was so full she couldn't hold back the words. "I love you."

Alaric's smile was fierce. "I know."

"Hands up!" A blaster muzzle nudged at Hanna's back. "On your feet!"

Slowly raising her hands, Hanna stood and stepped aside, out of Alaric's line of fire. A shot rang out, and the stormtrooper fell to lie unmoving on the ground. _Frack_ , she loved this man!

* * *

"Your fleet has lost," the Emperor hissed. "There is no escape, my young apprentice. The Alliance will die here… as will your friends."

Anger and despair clutched at Lucia, drowning her in hatred for this evil creature. She struggled to remember why she shouldn't kill him.

"Good." He came closer, until she could feel his fetid breath on her face. "Let the hate flow through you."

The Force around Vader exploded, and Lucia's saber leapt from the Emperor's hand, igniting in mid air and landing in Anneke's gloved fist. "You are unwise to lower your defenses," she said calmly, green blade glowing brightly in her raised hand.

"You would not dare," the Emperor spat, backing away from them. Rage crackled around him, and he raised his hands, sparks dancing on his fingers. "If you will not stand with me, you will be destroyed." His face twisted in fury, he flung the sparks at Lucia, and they grew into long shafts of lightning, leaping from his fingers to strike her.

Agony ripped through Lucia's body, sending her to her knees. She reached for the Force, trying to ward off the assault, but it slipped through her fingers, lost under the overwhelming pain. Her vision whited out.

"Your feeble skills are no match for the power of the dark side." The Emperor's voice reached her ears only faintly through the roaring of the lightning.

Then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.

* * *

Reaching into the Force deeper than she ever had before, Anneke grabbed the threads of power that made up the Emperor's lightning and yanked. Claws of fire ripped free from Lucia and snapped around to bury themselves in Anneke's flesh. Welcoming the pain, Anneke embraced the lightning, lifted her daughter's lightsaber, and sliced through her former Master's withered form.

A silent scream contorted the Emperor's face as he fell. Lightning continued to pour from his broken body for a few seconds, diverting from Lucia into Anneke. Then his eyes went flat and he collapsed like a sack of dirty rags.

Anneke found herself on her knees, muscles quivering with fatigue and pain. But her soul was bright and clean and, for the first time in years, she could see clearly without the shadows that had wrapped themselves around her for so long. She was free.

Lucia pushed herself to her hands and knees and crawled to Anneke's side. Tears streaked Lucia's face and the Force shone with love.


	9. Brilliant Light

The decking below Lucia's knees heaved, throwing her against her mother's weakened form. Catching herself and wrapping her arms around Anneke, Lucia looked up and out the window to see the Rebels' shots were now getting through. Hanna and Alaric had done it. The shields were down.

Stumbling to her feet, she grabbed Anneke's arm. "We have to get out of here."

Anneke looked up, and her hood fell back to uncover her head completely. Golden hair fell in tangled waves over her shoulders and sky-blue eyes smiled at Lucia. "This time, you must leave me."

"No. I can't leave you here." Lucia's voice broke. The battlestation shuddered around them, coming apart at the seams. "I have to save you."

Anneke's smile lit up her face, and her presence in the Force was nearly blinding. "You already have."

* * *

Alaric stepped out of the bunker and looked up at the sky just in time to see the Death Star morph into a tiny sun. He felt a stab of fear, but the sense of Lucia's presence continued, steady and sure, and he closed his eyes in relief. Hanna stepped up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure Lucia wasn't in it when it blew."

Alaric opened his eyes smiled. "She wasn't. I can feel it."

Hanna nodded, her fingers tightening just a bit on his shoulder. "You love her, don't you?"

Love? It was such a small word for what Alaric felt for the sister he had only just discovered. The sense of her was like a small sun within him at all times, warming and comforting. "Yes."

"All right. I understand." Hanna took her hand away, her face closing off, her voice tight. "When she comes back, I won't get in the way."

"Oh. _Oh_." Alaric shook his head in dismay, realizing what she meant—what she thought. "It's not like that. At all." He reached out to touch her arm. "She's my sister."

Bewilderment, astonishment, then wonder chased each other across Hanna's face. Then they were in each other's arms and, when their lips met, it was fire and joy and love and everything good and right.

* * *

The sun was rising, ribbons of gold stretching up into the sky and wending their way among the trees. Lucia stood silent and alone, staring unseeing into the flames that licked up the sides of the pyre, consuming the mortal shell that was all that remained of Anneke Skywalker, her mother.

Lucia let the tears fall. Was it finally over? Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru, Biggs, Ben… and now her mother. The Emperor was dead, the Empire scattering… but the price had been steep.

"Lucia." She lifted her head to find Ben standing before her, a wide proud smile on his ghostly bearded face. "You did it, Lucia."

"Ben," she whispered, her voice choked with tears.

Lifting his ghostly hands, Ben rested them on her shoulders. "I know it doesn't feel like a victory, but you have achieved something thousands of Jedi for thousands of years thought was impossible."

"Never tried did anyone." Lucia turned her head to find Yoda standing beside Ben, his hands folded atop his stick. "Apologise to you I must," he said. "Impossible I too thought it was. Underestimated you I did."

Lucia shook her head. "I just—I had to _try_."

Yoda nodded. "And told you not to I did. I am sorry. Wrong I was."

Turning toward him, Lucia crouched to meet his eyes. "Ben just said that thousands of Jedi for thousands of years believed as you did. How could you have known any different?"

Lifting one ghostly hand, Yoda touched her cheek. "So kind you are. So very kind. Despite all you have been through, despite all the reasons you have to be angry, to hate. Still so bright your light shines."

"Yes, it does." A gasp escaped Lucia at that voice, and she looked up into her mother's ghostly eyes. Anneke smiled down at her daughter. "Thank you, Lucia."

Tears filled Lucia's eyes again. "It wasn't enough. I wanted to save you."

"Oh, Lucia." Anneke took Lucia's hands in hers. "You gave me the strength and the opportunity to choose what was right. That is everything."

Somehow, despite their ghostly makeup, Anneke's hands were warm and comforting. Lucia swallowed hard. "I just wish—I wish I could have had more time with you."

"I know." Anneke lifted one hand to wipe away the tears that streamed down Lucia's face. "But that is not your fault. It was my actions that led to our separation."

"I was the one who separated you," Ben said, his voice heavy with sadness.

Anneke turned toward Ben. "You are not to blame, Master. I left you with little choice."

"If blame we are placing," Yoda put in, "then enough there is to go around."

"Yes." Ben put a hand on each of Lucia's and Anneke's shoulders. "But there is also enough love. And it was love that saved us all."

Anneke put a hand over Ben's. "I do love you, Master. I always have. Even when I hated you. I'm so sorry—for everything."

"Yes, hmmm." Yoda tapped his stick against the ground. "Emotion, yet peace. Death… yet the Force."

* * *

The sun had risen above the treetops, and fingers of brilliant light found their way down through the branches to where a huge bonfire blazed in the centre of the Ewok village. As Lucia emerged from the forest, Alaric put down a drink and ran to meet her, followed by Hanna, Chewie, and Lando. Lucia was engulfed in hugs, wrapped completely in love and light.

 _Emotion, yet peace.  
Ignorance, yet knowledge.  
Passion, yet serenity.  
Chaos, yet harmony.  
Death, yet the Force._


End file.
